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ee) THE sToRY Of /2/GHTON 
: THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY 


By George H. Ashley 


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(The Heart of Philadelphia, Courtesy of Joseph Pennel.) 


“This land was inhabited’ long ’be- 
fore the Coming of William Penn, but 
he found here neither a great civiliza- 
tion nor wealth.” 








Misc. Papers: No. 1 
(2d Ed. 1922) 


TT Jal Je 
PENNSYLVANIA 
SURVEY 


fens SE Giney OF 
THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY 


BY GEORGE H. ASHLEY 





An example of the Pennsylvania spirit of venture and achievement that is one 
reason for her greatness. (Snake Hollow, near McKeesport, Pa.) 

There are two other reasons: First, the possession of great natural resources; 
Second, knowledge of those resources through official and unofficial surveys, where- 
in “The Pennsylvania Survey” plays a part. 





DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS 
James F. Woodward, Secretary 


BUREAU OF TOPOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGIC SURVEY 
George H. Ashley, State Geologist 


HARRISBURG 
1922 


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Copyright, 1922 
By JAMES F. WOODWARD 
Secretary, Dept. of Internal Affairs — 
: * 3 
for the 
Sommonwealth of Pennsylvania 





THE STORY OF 
THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY 


By GEORGE H. ASHLEY 


WHY IT EXISTS 
Pennsylvania has well been called the industria’ 
itan of the western world. Its industry, like 
that of every other state or nation, is based on it: 


‘ead and zinc, for which he must dig far below 
_he surface. The earth not only serves him as a 
lace on which to live but supplies all of his 
yhysical needs, and with such materials as he 
inds in his own land he may trade with the ends 
#f the earth for the treasures of their lands. 














Is it any wonder then that from the earliest 
imes, a knowledge of the earth and its resources 
las gone hand in hand with the material ad- 
vancement of man. Unfortunately, nature has 
10t been equally kind to all lands in her gifts. 






Upon some she has lavished rich soils, precious 
yand base metals, coal, clay and building stone, 
flowing rivers and a salubrious climate. On 
others she seems to have turned her back, leaving 
jonly deserts or inhospitable mountains or ice 
|bound coasts. 

Look back through history, and beneath every 
great nation of all times is an earth rich in fer- 
tile soils and mineral resources transformed into 
instruments of power and wealth by the in- 
genuity and industry of man. Look again and 





notice how literally the wars and migrations of 


natural resources, and its wealth and progress are the past have been the struggle and search for 
measured by their development and use. Man better soils and for raw materials. There are 
may be ever so resourceful, ingenious and am- even those who find the cause of the late war in 
bitious, but without raw materials out of which Germany’s supposed need for the control of more 
to build, construct or grow those things needful of the raw materials required by her industries 
for the upbuilding of a material civilization, he if her progress was not to be throttled. 
can never advance beyond the stage of savagery. With these thoughts in mind it is not difficult 
These raw materials, one and all, come out of to: see why Pennsylvania should have been 
the earth, whether as foods or timber growing destined to become a great Commonwealth with 
out of the soils that mantle the earth’s surface, her fertile soils and vast forests, her great de- 
the clays out of which he makes bricks for a posits of high grade coal, her iron, clays, oil and 
dwelling place, or coal and iron, oil and gas, gas, her limestones and sandstones, marbles and 


; granites, and dozens of other mineral resources. 
*This article includes the annual report of George Baca as way thaae pTs Mie WA Pers 
H. Ashley, State Geologist, made to James F. Wood- but there ni anothe side to the story. The 
ward, Secretary of Internal Affairs, of the work of SS possession of great mineral resources alone does 
1 of Topographic and Geologic Survey o 7 a Ohinss tae an : 
nealing eau ah tuidition tells fit the Survey not make a state or nation prosperous or wealthy. 
? ; = . . . = p - ss . 
exists, mentions McKeesport gas and some other in- This land was inhabited long before the coming 
teresting matters and tells somewhat of the Survey’s 
plans for the future. 


THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 


of William Penn, but he found here neither a 
great civilization nor wealth. There must be 
the eye to see and the knowledge to recognize 
the value of what it sees and the possibility 
of development of the things seen for use at home 
or in trade. There must be the energy and in- 
genuity, the patience and will to till and sow the 
soils, to transform the forests into houses and 
furnishings, to dig the coal and iron and mould 
them into rails and engines, to burn the brick 
and carve the stone. Here is the second secret 
of Pennsylvania’s greatness. 

It is not that her soils are so much richer than 
other states. On the average they 
probably do not compare with those of Illinois. 
Her forests are not better than those of many 
states to the southwest of her. Her coal beds 
were originally not first but eighth among the 
North Dakota has 
nearly four times as much tonnage, Wyoming 
three times, Colorado nearly three times, Mon- 
tana more than twice, Illinois nearly twice, and 


those of 


states in tonnage of coal. 


New Mexico and West Virginia a little more. 





as many tons of coal each year as all of the other 
aud yet for years Pennsylvania produced twice 
states combined, and to-day produces nearly one- 
half of all the coal produced in the United States. 
Pittsburgh was shipping coal away by boat 
eighty years before the Pocohontas coal of Vir- 
ginia and West Virginia was discovered. Penn- 
sylvania digs out of the ground each year only 
about one-half million tons of iron ore, worth less 





than one million dollars; yet in 1918 her furnaces 
turned out nearly one-half billion dollars worth 
of pig iron and so on down the list. With no 
production of the precious metals, and almost 
none of any metals except iron, Pennsylvania, 


ais 





(like the lofty tipple here shown) stands in a 
class by herself in mineral production, not only 
head and shoulders above her competitors, but 
actually dwarfing them, as, by comparison, her 
nearest competitors stand only about knee high. 

Why has this been so? There is but one ex- 
planation. Knowledge backed by the will and 
energy to do. As early as 1768 the Penn proprie- 
taries had purchased from the Chiefs of the Six 
Nations, the whole of the bituminous coal fields 
of Penasylvania, except that part which lies 


THE SPIRIT THAT HAS MADH PENNSYLVANIA GREAT. 3 


northward of Kittanning, which was not pur- 
chased until 1784. In 1794 coal was being used 
to run a steam engine in Pittsburgh and to evap- 
orate salt; and in 1797 coal was being used to 
_manutfacture glass. A dozen years later from 40 
to 50 coal mines had been opened in the Pitts- 
burgh district, and coal was in general use in 
houses in that section, and it was not long until 
Pennsylvania was digging canals, and portaging 
her canal boats over the mountains to bring her 
mineral resources to market, while her neighbors 
hunted beaver and sold skins. 

It is because of this spirit that Pennsylvania 
leads all of the states in the production of cement, 
coal, ferro-alloys, pig iron, limestone and lime, 
zine and lead pigments, sand and gravel, slate, 
stone, sulphuric acid from copper and zine smel- 
ters, and is second in production of clay products, 
raw clay, diatomaceous earth, tripoli and silica. 
Pennsylvania is third in the production of natural 
gas but first in its utilization, gathering the raw 
product from her neighbors and using it to multi- 
ply her own wealth and comfort. Petroleum is 
wide spread over the United States, but Pennsy]l- 
vania led the way in its discovery and produc- 





tion through the drilling of the Drake well, here 
shown, in 1859. 

It was doubtless this same spirit that at the 
beginning of the last century led to the forma- 
tion at Philadelphia, of the American Philosophi- 
cal Society, the Academy of Natural Sciences and 
the Franklin Institute, and in 1832 to the Geo- 


logical Society of Pennsylvania. The organiza- 
tion last named marked the beginning of a new 
era in American science. It brought to a focus 
the activities of a number of local societies 
scattered over the state. It held meetings in 
Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. Its 
purpose was to obtain “An exact knowledge of 
the mineral resources of this State * * * to con- 


struct * * * an accurate geological map.” 


It is not necessary to retrace the steps by 
which this ambitious undertaking was finally 
taken over by the State, when in 1836, it organ- 
ized the first Geological Survey of Pennsylvania 
under Henry D. Rogers. This Survey, which con- 
tinued its work for several years, led to the publi- 
cation of two large volumes on the geology of 
the State. It was this same spirit that led the 
State in 1874, the year following the great panic, 
to organize the Second Geological Survey of 
Pennsylvania under Lesley, and to support that 
Survey liberally for many years. Reports of that 
Survey today contain a vast fund of information 
which has been of inestimable value to the min- 
eral development of this State. These reports 
are still sought as a guide for the promotion of 
its new mineral industries. They have long been 
out of print and today are available only in the 
public libraries. 


It was this same spirit that in 1898 and again 
in 1919 led the state to initiate a more detailed 
survey of the State’s resources, in a belief that a 
better knowledge of those resources would still 
further advance the State’s progress and main- 
tain its industrial preeminence. 


The Second Pennsylvania Survey covered the 
State more or less completely and published some 
88 volumes, with many volumes of maps. It may 
therefore be asked “Why should the new Survey 
be undertaken?” There are three reasons for this; 
First, the old reports have been out of print and 
unobtainable for many years. Second, since that 
Survey was made our knowledge of the geology 
of the State has been greatly increased through 
exploration and mining of coal, oil, gas and other 
substances. Third, the information obtained by 
the Second Survey, was in the main too general 
and too lacking in detail, and based on base maps 
too poor to meet the needs of today. This phase 
of the problem is best illustrated by comparing 
two copies of the maps; one, of a portion of a 


typical map of the Second Survey, and another of 
the same area, as mapped today. It must be re- 
membered that both maps as published are in 
color, and therefore much more legible than as 
here shown. 





40°50' 
738°15' 


For example, above is a fragment of the map of 
Clearfield County, as published by the Second 
Pennsylvania Survey, Vol. H,. 


Like 
40°53’ 





EXPLANATION 


3 House $ Railroad +o z {Stream =~ 
@\Road ®\County line _._. 3{Contour —16%~ 





Color references in explanation are Colors in which 
these symbols are shown on regular edition 
Above is a copy to scale, of the new topographic 
map of exactly the same area, showing not only 
railroads, roads and houses but the exact shape 
and elevation of the hills and valleys. (The origi- 
nal is in three colors.) 


THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 





EXPLANATION 


House » .(Shaft* o ee lines 
x\Road —— Sore 2 a(Outcrop* a 
Z Railroad ae amaad “(Drift * 2 eis contour 

County line—-— 3{Stream —~-— land fault 5 


* A// outcrops and ooenings are marked with PeFeErence 
numbobers on original Work 
Co/or referencés jp explanation are co/ors 12 which 
ese symbols are shown on regular edition 


Above is a copy, to scale, of the new geologic 
map of the same area (without colors) showing 
the outcrops of the several coal beds, the location 
of all coal openings, and the elevation of the Mos- 
hannon coal bed above sea level by contour lines. 
(In the original, each opening is numbered for 
reference to text descriptions, coal sections and 
analyses.) ; 


To those who wonder why the state should be 
called upon to make such surveys as these, rather 
than that they be left to private initiative, it 
might be pointed out: 


Ist—To save the endless repetition of field 
examinations when made by private parties. Sup- 
pose in a year 100 men in Pennsylvania want to 
know for commercial purposes, where a certain 
kind of rock may be found. How should they go 
about finding such a rock? (assuming there were 
and had been no state survey). There is only one 
way—to go themselves or to hire someone else to 
tramp over the state, after the manner of the old 
gold prospectors, hunting for the rock desired. 


THE REASONS FOR A STATE GHOLOGICAL SURVEY. 


Instead, they should be able to send to the State 
Geologist and receive by return mail, a report on 
the stone of the state, showing just where the 
desired stone may be found, where there are 
quarry sites, how much stone can be gotten out 
in any of these, the amount of stripping neces- 
sary, the character of the stone at each site as re- 
gards color, hardness, grain, chemical analysis, 
EC, 

2nd—lIt is not enough as a rule to simply find 
a rock or clay or coal or other deposit. The rock 
must be tested to know its strength or resistance 
to weathering: the clay must be burned to know 
the kind of brick it will yield: the coal must be 
analyzed to know how much ash and sulphur it 
contains and how much heat it will yield. With- 
out official surveys, every man must not only 
seek what he desires in the field, but must take 
samples at perhaps hundreds of outcrops, and 
build laboratories or send to commercial labora- 
tories to test those samples. If only one man or 
one corporation were interested in these matters, 
the testing should be left to that man or corpora- 
tion: but there are many men and many corpora- 
tions, indeed, any citizen of the State, especially 
one who owns land in the State, may desire just 
such information. Therefore, the State believes it 
is economy to employ a single corps of men to do 
this work just once for all of the people, gathering 
while on the ground, information about all of the 
resources of all the areas covered. 





3rd—While coal and many of the rocks show 
on their face just what they are, most of the ores 
have little or no resemblance to the metals they 


oO 


contain, and their finding requires men trained 
in the recognition and testing of ores and min- 
erals. Therefore the State Survey offers to all of 
the citizens of the state, the advantage of an of- 
ficial, reliable, unbiased corps of men trained in 
this knowledge, such as only a great corporation 
could afford to employ for its own information 
and advantage. 

4th—And most important of all. Most of the 
mineral resources of Pennsylvania lie in beds 
which are in general found far below the surface. 
The geologist, by a study of the rocks over a 
broad territory, can construct sections showing 
the relative position and thickness of all of the 
rocks, so that any rock at the surface is a key 
to the position of all of the rocks under the sur- 
face. He can thus tell to within a few feet the 
depth of the Pittsburgh coal in western Greene 
County, where it is 1,000 feet deep and 25 miles 
from the nearest surface exposure. He can tell 
the approximate depth of the “Clinton” sandstone 
under Pittsburgh, though exposed only in central 
Pennsylvania and thinning out in central Ohio, 
while still 2,500 feet deep. 
tion regarding the rocks under one spot, 1t may be 


To get this informa- 
Pan] 


necessary to survey thousands of square miles 
of territory, but when gotten this informetion 
may serve as well for a thousand other spots. 
The same condition faces us if we seek to know 
the lay or structure of the rock; that is, the posi- 
tion of the anticlines and synclines with refer- 
ence to the occurrence of oil and gas, or to the 
layin~ out of coal mines so as to secure the 
ehe-:e-t drainage and haulage. 





If citizens of the State are to know what under- 
lies their land at the least possible cost, they must 


6 THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 


unite in employing a geological corps to make the 
necessary surveys and reports, or what is the 
same thing, establish a State Geological Survey. 
It is because of the recognition of this fact that 
the State Survey exists. 

The service of the Survey to the State Govern- 
ment, to the mineral industries and to the public 
at large, may be summed up as follows: 


1—State and local governments: 


a—By topographic mapping; showing: (1) 
Necessary location and grades of 
roads and streets and other trans- 
portation systems; (2) Location and 
grades of sewerage or water supply 
systems; reservoirs, etc.; (3) Data for 
town planning and district improve- 
ment; (4) Data needed for conserva- 
tion and controlling of water supplies 
and power, location of dams, etc.; 
(5) Surface features as affecting loca- 
tion of forest reserves, sanatoriums, 
grounds for military purposes, etc., 
etc, 


b—By advising on location and character of 
(1) Road materials near roads to be 
built; (2) Structural materials, for 
bridges, etc.; (3) Fuel supplies; (4) 
Mineral resources tributary to pro- 
posed transportation routes; (5) 
Mineral supplies needed by any gov- 
ernment department. 


c—By supplying data needed in the consid- 
eration of possible legislation affect- 
ing mineral reserves, or the mineral 
industry, or the assessment of taxes. 


2—The mineral industries, engineers and stu- 
dents of geology: 


a—By surface mapping of rocks or minerals 
of known or possible economic value. 


b—By determining at, any point the proba- 
bility of the presence of and the 
depth or position of non-out-crop- 
ping deposits. 


c—By determining the limits within which 
certain minerals or rocks may be 
found. 


d—By determining the lay or structure of 
certain bedded deposits when such 
structure bears on their exploitation. 
e. g., coal and oil. 


e—By the study, description and compari- 
son of the character and quality of 
economic rocks and minerals as af- 
fecting their use and value. 


f—By the location and estimation of re- 
serves of ores or minerals. 


g—By calling attention to opportunities of 
mineral development. 


h—By the search for and possible discovery 
of new minerals or of new deposits 
of needed minerals or rocks as near 
as possible to points of use. 


i—By the topographic mapping which may 
aid in the location and planning of 
railroads, telegraph and power lines, 
sites for mining or manufacturing 
towns, water supply and sewage dis- 
posal, etc., etc. 


3—The general public: 


By the identification of rocks and min- 
erals. 





a 


b—By answering inquiries regarding the 
earth’s surface, history, composition 
and structure, use, content at any 
point, etc. 


c—By advising regarding mineral values of 
lands, prospective exploitation, etc. 


d—By areal reports covering various fac- 
tors affecting use of land or living 
conditions. 


e—By supplying elevations, distances, direc- 
tions, grades and other geographic in- 
formation. 


f—By preventing unpromising exploitation, 
or investment. 
g—By stimulating and guiding the search 


for desired minerals and their dis- 
covery. 


THE ORGANIZATION OF THE NEW STATE SURVEY. 7 





Does the traveler wonder as he sees from the 
train the great beds of rock bent and twisted in 
huge folds as though by some Titanic hand,— 
the Survey will tell him the story. 


h—By stimulating an interest and a know- 
ledge of the earth and its history in 


relation to man, his history and 
economic progress. 
i—By showing automobilists and other 


travelers the character of country, 
grades and other matters of interest 
along their proposed line of travel. 


j—By supplying public school children, and 
other citizens, with information about 
their State, its resources and surface 
features, their origin and value. 


It was because of a recognition of these facts 
that the State Legislature established and sup- 
ported the First and Second Geological Surveys 
of Pennsylvania as described, and again in 1898 
established a Topographic and Geologic Commis- 
sion which secured the cooperation of the U. S. 
Geological Survey and made a good beginning of 
both a topographic and a geologic map of the 
State. As the Commission had no office at the 
State Capitol for giving information it did not re- 
ceive the support needed and was abolished in 
1919 and a new Topographic and Geological Sur- 
vey was established as a Bureau of the Depart- 
ment of Internal. Affairs under James F. Wood- 
ward, Secretary of that Department. The bill was 
signed by the Governor June 7, 1919, and a State 


Geologist, Geo. H. Ashley, formerly Chief of the 
Section of Eastern Coal Fields, Chief of Coal Sec- 
tion, Land Classification Board, and sometime 
Acting Director of the Federal Geological Sur- 
vey, was appointed. Mr. Ashley had had charge 
of the cooperative work of the Federal Survey in 
Pennsylvania for many years and therefore had a 
wide personal knowledge of the State. In addi- 
tion to his experience with the Federal Survey he 
had formerly been State Geologist of Tennessee, 
Assistant State Geologist of Indiana, Assistant 
on the Geological Survey of Arkansas, and had 
had a wide personal experience from New Eng- 
land to California. 


THE FIRST YEAR’S WORK. 


The work of the new survey began September 
1, 1919, the Survey occupying part of the rooms 
in the Capitol previously occupied by the State 
Bureau of Mines. 

As, due to the congested condition of the State 
Printing, the new Bureau has issued no printed 
publications during the year, it has seemed. wise 
to present in this manner a brief review of the 
work of the Bureau for the year to Sept. 1, 1920, 
and a glimpse of its plans for the future. 

The work of the Survey naturally falls into 
four lines—Administration, Information, Survey 
and Publication. 


Administration. 


The administrative work of the first year has 
naturally been heavy. It has included: 

1. The physical outfitting of the plant. This 
included the planning and procuring from the 
ground up of desks, tables, files, book and map 
cases, cabinets, and other furniture and supplies; 
and an adequate field outfit from hammers to 
plane tables. The work has been greatly handi- 
capped by the slow delivery or non-delivery of 
this equipment. Including the State Geologist’s 
personal books, a library of probably 3,000 vol- 
umes and pamphlets has been built up, and a 
working collection of maps is constantly being 
added to. A beginning has been made toward 
the collection of photographs of characteristic 
Pennsylvania scenery and geology and of typical 
specimens of Pennsylvania rocks and minerals. 


2. The making of plans. This involved, first, 
a comprehensive and detailed review of the pres- 
ent status of topographic mapping in Pennsyl- 
vania and of published information about Penn- 
sylvania geology. Second, the determination of 
just what work remained to be done. Third, the 
preparation of detailed plans for the accomplish- 
ment of that work in full. Fourth, accurate esti- 
mates of the total cost of the work, based on 
present and past known costs, and the preparation 
of alternate budgets covering the complete work 
of the Survey for selected periods of years. Fifth, 
the determination of the form and character of 
publications, involving a review of all present 
usages with their advantages and disadvantages 
and the preparation of a complete list of proposed 
principal publications. The present paper has 
the size and character of page determined on. The 
three principal advantages of this size are: Ist, 
the quadrangle topographic sheets which will be 
used in the Atlas and some other reports fold 
twice to this size; 2nd, this size allows the publi- 
cation unfolded of plates and charts of double 
octavo size, and reduces the number of foldings 
required of large maps; 3rd, brochures of this 
size will fold once vertically for insertion in 
pocket (like a railroad time table) for use in the 
field, or while traveling. Sixth, the working out of 
certain standards to be used by the Survey, such 
as a standard geological time scale. (No gen- 
erally accepted time scale exists at present, each 
Survey or author having its or his own.) Pro- 
posed standards have been the subject of ex- 
tensive correspondence and. office conferences. 
Seventh, the working out of a large variety of 
record forms, ranging from weekly report cards 
for clerical work to elaborate field records for 
guiding field studies of economic resources. 
Eighth, the preparation of Survey “Regulations 
and Instructions.” Certain of these prohibit any 
member of the Survey acquiring or holding any 
mineral rights in the State or the stock of any 
company or corporation owning or mining min- 
erals within the State; nor may any member of 
the ‘Survey, while so employed, execute any pri- 
within the 
State. Confidential information must be carefully 
cuarded or used strictly in accordance with stipu- 


vate surveys or examinations 


lated conditions. Ninth, attendance at numerous 
conferences and meetings at Pittsburgh and else- 


THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 


where dealing with matters relating directly or 
indirectly to the work of the Survey. 

3. The selection and direction of the Survey 
personnel. Neglecting separations, the force on 
December 31, 1920, consisted of the State Geol- 
ogist, two associate geologists, two assistant 
geologists, thirteen cooperating geologists, twen- 
ty-two cooperating topographic engineers and 
thirty topographic assistants; three clerks and 
stenographers and two draftsmen. 


The Survey Personnel: 


GEOLOGY. 


George H. Ashley, State Geologist. 

J. French Robinson, Associate Geologist. Graduate 
of University of West Virginia. Formerly asst. 
geologist for the B. & O. R. R. Company; later 
in charge of three mines (Franklin Coal & Coke 
Co.), in West Virginia; later the geologist for the 
Seneca Hill Oil Company operating in the south- 
western fields. 

J. Koss Corbin, Associate Geologist, Graduate of 
Lehigh University. Iron mining, Pennsylvania 
and New Jersey. Graphite, New Jersey. And in 
Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Virginia, 
Philippine Islands and China, for gold, silver, 
platinum, copper, lead, zinc, iron, manganese, 
chromite, etc. Geological relations of pondage 
areas in Connecticut. 

J. D. Sisler, Assistant Geologist. Graduate of 
University of West Virginia. Post Graduate 
work Johns Hopkins University. Assistant, Geo- 
logical Survey of West. Virginia. Later, Assistant 
Geoiogist, Geological Survey of Maryland. 

Meredith E. Johnson, Assistant Geologist. Gradu- 
ate of Lehigh University. Engineer Corps of 
Army. Later Head Sampler and Geologist, Ray 
Consolidated Copper Co., Arizona. 


Cooperating Geologists: 


Dr. F. Bascom, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn 
Mawr, Pa. 

Prof. Malcolm H. Bissel, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn 
Mawse Pa: 

Prof. C. A. Bonine, State College, State College, Pa. 

Dr. H. L. Fairchild, University of Rochester, Roch- 
ester; N. Y- 

Prof. Charles R. Fettke, Carnegie Institute, Pitts- 
burgh; Pa: 

Prof. George N. C. Henschen, Harrisburg High 
School, Harrisburg. 

Prof. Erle G. Hill, Carnegie Institute, Pitts= 
burgh, Pa. 

Dr. A. I. Jonas, U. S. Geological Survey, Washing- 
TOD aoa es 

Dr. Benjamin L. Miller, Lehigh University, Beth- 
lehem, Pa. 


(13 following): 


THE SURVEY, A BUREAU OF SERVICE. 9 


Dr. E. S. Moore, State College, State College, Pa. 

Prof. Frederick B. Peck, Lafayette College, Eas- 
ton, Pa. 

Mr. Thomas G. Taylor, State College, State Col- 
lege, Pa. 

Dr. Edgar T. Wherry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 
Washington, D. C. 

*Roland W. Brown, Geologic Aid. Graduate of 
Lafayette College. Formerly with the Bureau of 
Chemical Welfare, U. S. Army. 

**C_W. Webbert, Assistant to State Geologist. For- 
merly with the State Department of Health. 
O. P. Solem, Chief Draftsman. Formerly with the 
U. S. Emergency Fleet Corporation of Philadel- 
phia. 
John G. Hanford, Draftsman. Formerly with the 
Bureau of Good Roads, Washington, D. C. 
Mrs. Lizette F. Carey, Chief Clerk, Harrisburg, Pa. 
Miss Jean N. Rauch, Stenographer and Librarian. 
Miss Elizabeth B. Garner, Typist and Mimeograph 
Operator. 
TOPOGRAPHY. 
Frank Sutton, Geographer in charge. 
Topographic Engineers: 
C. C. Gardner Max J. Gleissuer 
Robert Muldrow S) iL rParker 
Duncan Hannegan J. L. Lewis 
J. Irving Gayetty 
J. F. McBeth 
Assistant Topographic Engineers: 
H. E. Simmons M. A. Roundabush 
J. C. Hilliard A. J. Kavanagh. 
Junior Topographic Engineers: 
W.S. Beames Frank M. Schilling. 
Field Assistants: 
Walter McCrea 
C. R. deMedicis 
Computer: 
J. L. Lenovitz. 
Rodmen: 


Oscar Jones 


F. J. McMaugh 
W. F. Chenault. 


Matt Daura 
Neilson Jones 

J. S. Ward 

Albert A. Carney 
Charles W. Smith 
M. A. Hufty 
Palmer Kuhns 

H. P. Bresee 
Charlies. C. Dunn 
F. H. McBeth 

E. T. Greenstreet 
E. D. Chamberlain 
Mark H. Secrist 
Farnham Warriner 
PoA. trapin 
Pierce Hills 

Geo. C. Chenault 


G. A. Mock 
Bert Griffith 

J. J. Caille 

Roy Wiltse 
Perv Clarkc 
Robert Holden 
Frank S. Jamison 
Philip Croyle 

T. Wilson 

H. C. Loney 

A. B. Claxton 

S. G. Rivers 
Boyd Baker 
Robert Marvin 
Ernest Snyder 
Wm. A. Dickson 
Robert McCulloch. 


*Mr. Brown resigned September 15, 1920. 
**Mr. Webbert resigned May 1, 1920. 


Information. 

The second line of Survey work, the giving of 
information, has taken a large amount of the State 
Geologist’s time and most of the time of the cleri- 
cal force.. Over 1,000 people have called at the 
office for information in person, 5,600 letters have 
been answered, 5,858 copies of reports of the 
preceding Survey still held by the State Division 
of Documents have been mailed in response to 
direct requests by letter, and several hundred of 
these reports have been distributed direct from 
this office. Eight hundred mimeographed advance, 
reports of this Survey have also been mailed from 
this office. A Loan Library has been established 
from which over 100 reports out of print have been 
loaned. Most of the volumes available for this 
purpose have been presented to the Survey by 
friends. Co-operation has been established with 
all of the principal libraries of the State, by which 
the Survey aids them to complete their sets of 
old State geological publications, and in return 
refers to them the correspondents who ask for re- 
ports no longer available for distribution. In 
addition to the two preliminary reports mimeo- 
graphed for immediate distribution, a large num- 
ber of press bulletins have been prepared and dis- 
tributed through the Department’s Bureau of 
Publicity. 

To give some idea of the possible value of the 
correspondence carried on by the Survey, there 
is inserted here a brief of a typical single day’s 
answered letters. This is taken from the State 
Geologist’s report to Secretary Woodward for the 
month of February, and was given there simply 
to illustrate what was meant by the term “routine 
correspondence” used in many of his monthly re- 
ports. The letters as usual required more than 
one day for their completion and dispatch. 

By Miss Rauch as follows: inquiries in regard to 

oil, Oakdale, Allegheny County and Lawrence 
County. 

oil and gas, Pleasant Hill, Lawrence County. 

oil, gas and salt deposits, Washington County. 

oil formation of Pennsylvania. 

geological formations of the Beaver quad- 
rangle. 

anticline through Lower Tyrone Township, 
Fayette County, depth of various sands and 
what each produces. 

Dorseyville Field, West Deer Township, Alle- 
gheny County. 

oil and coal deposits of State. 

map showing Pennsylvania coal fields. 


10 


By 


THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 


oil and gas, Indiana and Westmoreland coun- 
ties. 

geological map of Pennsylvania. 

building materials along Clarion 
Foxburg. 

geology of Clearfield County. 

geological survey covering coal and other min- 
erals of Butler County. 

coal fields of Somerset County. 

geological survey of Masontown quadrangle. 

sources of dolomite. 

interview on National 
Works. 

paper “A Fuel Inspection System.” 

operations in the Sewickley Field—protesting 
character of advertising. 

drilling in Indiana and Armstrong counties. 

drilling in the McKeesport Field. 

request for names of miners and producers of 
china clay. 

request for gas and oil, Finleyville, Washington 
County. 

request for information in re Classification of 
Coal. 

request for information regarding mining con- 
ditions in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Schuylkill 
and Northumberland counties. 

application for a position with the Survey. 

acknowledgment of copies of preceding Com- 
mission report. 

prepared 16 undictated letters. 

Mrs. Carey as follows: inquiries in regard to 

area in Nicholson Twp., Butler County (gas). 


River near 


Department Public 


area in Richland Twp., Butler County (oil and °* 


gas). 

area in Parker Twp., Allegheny County. 

mineral resources of the State by counties. 

engagement to speak before the Oil Producers 
Association of Bradford, Pa. 

gas sands near Sutersville, Pa. 

geological surveys of Potter, McKean, Cameron 
and Clinton counties. 

area around Beaver County. 

area between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. 

deeper sands of Allegheny County and west- 
ward toward Ohio. 

mining of siderite in this State. 

anticline near Nine Mile Run. 

oil and gas sands of Greene County. 

geology of Tioga County. 

cuts for article in Coal Age—Coal Classifica- 
tion. 

serpentine of the southeastern part of State. 

regarding “ice cave” near Coudersport, Potter 
County. 

regarding “fox fire’ occurrence in Huntingdon 
County. 

geology of Highland Twp., Elk County. 

Bradford County oil possibilities. 

geology of Huntingdon County. 


drilling in Bullskin Twp., Fayette County. 

glass sands of the State : 

anticlines of southern Fayette County near 
Cheat Haven. 

asked to recommend a geologist for private 
work in Mexico. 

asked to present a discussion on Fire Clays at 
meeting of the American Ceramic Society. 

prepared 14 undictated letters. 

One phase of the information work will be en- 
larged on as it is believed that in that phase alone 
this Survey may save as much as it costs. 

The constructional work of the Survey, such as 
the determination of the location, character and 
value of the mineral deposits, is necessarily slow 


and cumulative. But many opportunities have 


arisen during the year to put people on their guard 
in the matter of expenditures of time and money 
on what was likely to prove unprofitable. A few 
of these may be mentioned. 

During the year there have been a number of 





projects, in operation or proposed, (as illustrated 
by this drilling near Lancaster) to drill for oil or 


McKEESPORT. 11 


gas in the metamorphosed rocks of the south- 
eastern part of the State. A press bulletin called 
attention to the fact that past experience in such 
drilling had been quite fruitless and that the 
known conditions were such that no experienced 
geologist would recommend such drilling. 

In another part of the State, a vast find of 
potash was announced. A member of the Survey 
visited the area and found a deposit of guano from 
woodchucks that had made their homes in the 
cavities of the rocks for an indefinite time, and of 
secondary incrustations in the crevices of the 
rocks, due to the solution of the guano and the 
redeposition of potassium nitrate. 

A third line of warning has been to caution peo- 
ple in several sections of the State against large 
expenditures in seeking to develop coals of 
Pocono age. The coals occur in rocks far below 
the regular coal measures but locally they may 
present coal bed faces 3 to 6 feet thick. Exper- 
ience in the mining of these coals, after the ex- 
penditure of hundreds of thousands of dollars, has 
uniformly been disappointing. 

A fourth line has been in the endeavor to guide 
prospecting and drilling for oil and gas in the 
western part of the State. Only one example 
need be cited, as that received considerable atten- 
tion in the public press. A rich strike of gas was 
made at McKeesport, in Allegheny County, in 
August, 1919. This was examined by the State 
Geologist in November, after which he issued a 
warning in connection with a description of the 
pool that “If one half of the gas wells now pro- 
jected in McKeesport gas district are drilled, the 
immediate field will do well to last two years.” 





Conditions in the field were followed closely in 
succeeding months, all of the data as obtained 
being plotted on engineering paper so that the 
progress of the field could be watched as one 
watches an hour glass. As new large wells came 
in the interest increased, every day saw a dozen 
or a score of new companies organized, stock was 
being sold all over the country and hundreds of 
wells were projected or started, the number finally 
reaching over 1,000. December 29th: the State 
Geologist again warned against sinking more 
wells in the pool ending his press bulletin with the 
statement “Therefore, I feel that it cannot be too 
strongly emphasized that while the Murraysville 
field as a whole and outside the McKeesport pool 
is a legitimate field for development, further drill- 
ing in the McKeesport pool must result in serious 
financial losses.” January 12th a more detailed 
analysis of the situation was submitted in the 
form of a mimeographed report in which it was 
stated: “It is estimated that the Long Run pool 
did not contain at the beginning over 15 to 20 
billion cubic feet.” and again: “The total volume 
of gas in the Long Run pool at the start may be 
closely estimated at 15 billion cubic feet which, at 
15 cents a thousand, was worth about $2,250,0C0.” 
Careful estimates from the data available indi- 
cated 15 billion cubic feet as the original content 
of the pool. One factor in the problem could not 
be estimated for. Under the high pressure at the 
beginning, gas flowed from the Speechley sand, 
the principal source of the gas, into the closer 
grained Elizabeth sand exposed in the wells sev- 
eral hundred feet higher. It is believed that much 
of the gas at present coming from the field is com- 





Estimated value of gas 234 millions; estimated expenditure, 22-28 millions(McKeesport). 


12 THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 


ing from the Elizabeth sand as a result of the stor- 
age made during the early development of the 
field. How much gas was thus stored could not 
then be estimated upon. As a matter of fact, the 
recorded flow of gas in the field to October Ist, 
was 15,725,7C0,000 cubic feet. This, with the 
losses which may be roughly estimated as not 
less than 1,000,CO0,000 cubic feet, and the gas yet 
to come from the wells which may be two billion 
cubic feet, would indicate an original total of 
probably between 18 and 19 billion cubic feet, 
or well within the larger estimate of 20 billion 
cubic feet, made last December. It is probable 
that the total value of the gas at the wells will 
reach 234 million dollars. Estimates of the actual 
money expended in the field or invested in stock 
vary from 28 to 22 million dollars. 

Ot the wells actually completed by October 
first, 223 were productive and 313 or more unpro- 
ductive. While at the time, full credence was 
not given to the State Geologist’s statements, it 
is beleved that the facts have demonstrated the 
correctness of his position and that as a con- 
sequence the Survey is in a position to render a 
larger future service than would otherwise have 
been possible. 


Survey. 


Topographic work. The field work of the Sur- 
vey has naturally and properly taken up the larger 
part of the funds and energies of the Bureau. 
Topographic work is being carried on in coopera- 
tion with the U. S. Geological Survey, the work 
being under the direction of the latter’s engineers, 
in accordance with past practice. Fifty-six per 
cent. of the State had been topographically 
mapped when the present Survey took hold. To 
obtain the largest possible amount of cooperation 
from the Federal Survey in order to push the topo- 
graphical work to completion at the earliest pos- 
sible moment, one half of the funds at the dis- 
posal of the Survey were allotted to this work. 
In addition, cooperation with the State Highway 
and Forestry Departments has been secured. The 
use of the Highway traverses and levels has 
greatly reduced the primary cost of topographic 
work. The topographic work is carried on and 
published in quadrangle areas, each covering 15 
minutes of latitude and longitude and having an 
area of about 225 square miles. The following 
quadrangles have been completed during the year 


under the cooperative agreement: (See map) 
The Meyersdale sheet in southeastern Somerset 
County; the Confluence sheet, located in south- 
east Fayette and southwest Somerset counties; 
the Altoona sheet, located in Cambria and Blair 
counties. The conditions of the topographic field 
work as of September first were: the Stahlstown 
sheet, in Westmoreland and Fayette counties, 
75% completed; the New Florence sheet, in 
Westmoreland and Indiana counties, 80% com- 
pleted; the Hanover sheet, in York and Adams 
counties, 75% completed; the Philipsburg sheet, 
in Center and Clearfield counties, 30% completed ; 
the Damascus sheet, in Wayne and Pike counties. 
50% completed; the Long Eddy sheet in north- 
eastern Wayne county is 50% completed. It is 
expected that the field work on all these sheets 
will be completed this season. The office prepara- 
tion, engraving and printing of the maps will re- 
quire another year or two. 

Primary control has been completed on the 
Tyrone sheet, in Blair and Huntingdon counties; 
the Howard sheet, in Centre and Clinton coun- 
ties; the Lock Haven sheet, in Clinton and Wy- 
oming counties; the Williamsport sheet, in Clin- 
ton,» Lycoming and Union counties; the Trout 
Run sheet, in Lycoming County; the Shippens- 
burg sheet, in Cumberland, Franklin and Perry 
counties; the Mauch Chunk sheet, in Carbon and 
Northampton counties; and the Pocono sheet in 
Monroe county. The cost of this primary control 
was reduced not less than $8,000 by the use of 
State Highway surveys, and the work correspond- 
ingly hastened. 


Geologic work. The funds remaining for geo- 
logical field work, after the allotment of one half 
for topographic work, and the necessary cost of 
administration and information, have been very 
small, and this has necessarily prevented under- 
taking a large amount of geological work greatly 
needed. The following brief summary shows the 
field and office work undertaken or completed: 


Coal. Preparation of “An Introduction to the 
Bituminous Coal Fields of Pennsylvania” by the 
State Geologist, nearly completed. This discusses 
the several coals of the State, describes: theif 
the origin, kinds, character, analyses; and tests of 
the several coals of the State, describes their 
distribution by counties, estimates the reserves, 
and in general serves as a key to the more detailed 
volumes to follow. 


13 


IN TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING. 


PROGRESS 








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THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 


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GEOLOGIC WORK DURING 1920. 15 


Collection by Erle G. Hill of between 125 and 
150 samples of coal scattered over sections of the 
State previously unsampled and their analysis by 
the U. S. Bureau of Mines under a cooperative 
agreement. Complete data on the mines visited 
was obtained at the same time. The work is still 
in progress. These analyses were needed to round 
out the discussion of the chemical character of 
Pennsylvania coal in the “Introduction” just men- 
tioned, 

A study and preliminary report on “River coal” 
as found in the Susquehanna, the Schuylkill and 
Lehigh Rivers and their tributaries, by C. W. 
Webbert. At the time this study was undertaken, 
the country was suffering a severe coal shortage, 
due to the countrywide coal strike. One result 
of this shortage was to bring many inquiries re- 
garding “river coal,’ as the coal now being 
dredged out of the three rivers mentioned and 
their tributaries is called. Studies by Mr. Web- 
bert, indicated that nearly 2,000,000 tons of coal 
were being yearly taken from these rivers and 
that there was prospect that the river coal 
will continue to serve Harrisburg and other 
cities for not less than ten years in the future. 





Oil and Gas: ‘The preparation to “An Intro- 
duction to the Oil and Gas Fields of Pennsyl- 
vania,’ by the State Geologist and J. French 
Robinson, to be accompanied by an up-to-date 
map of the oil and gas fields, from data supplied 
mainly by the U. S. Geological Survey. Similar 
in scope to the coal paper just mentioned. It 


is hoped this paper may be issued before January 
Ist, 1921. (Still awaiting printing, Feb. 1922.) 
Reconnaissance studies of the McKeesport gas 
field, and the preparation of a preliminary report 
thereon by the State Geologist. In addition to 
two press bulletins and a mimeograph report on 
this pool, graphic charts, blue printed, showing 
production, etc., also tables of figures, have been 
distributed or sent to the leading papers. 


A detailed study of the McKeesport gas field 
by J. French Robinson and Roland W. Brown. 
Report will not be prepared until field is finished. 
The data available will permit a more detailed 
study of a gas field than has ever before been pos- 
sible. 

A rapid reconnaissance study of all of the oil 
and gas fields of the State by J. French Robinson, 
made in connection with the preparation of the 
“Introduction to the Oil and Gas Fields of Penn- 
sylvania.” 

Preliminary mapping of the structure of the 
Pittsburgh and Greensburg quadrangles with 
special reference to oil and gas, by J. French 
Robinson and Roland W. Brown. (Mapping to 
50 foot structure contours only.) 

Detailed structure mapping and a study of the 
oil and gas resources of the New Kensington 
quadrangle, by George W. Richardson and assis- 
tants, in cooperation with the U. S. Geological 
Survey. 

Study of the oil and gas resources of the New 
Castle quadrangle by Frederick B. Peck. 

A study of reported oil .eepages in Lancaster 
and Chester counties by the State Geologist. 

Local detailed studies of oil and gas conditions 
at several points in the oil and gas fields, by the 
State Geologist and J. French Robinson. 


Oil Shales: C. R. Fettke continued elaborate 
investigations of some 100 samples of black or 
bituminous shales gathered in 1918 and made a 
preliminary report on the results of his work. In 
the summer of 1920, Mr. Fettke made additional 
collections of samples in areas previously over- 
looked. These will form the subject of study the 
coming winter. 


Limestone: The urgent need of the State 
Highway Department for information regarding 
suitable road building material in the northwest- 
ern part of the State, led in the fall of 1919 to an 


16 





"HE STORY OF THE PEN 





YLVANIA SURVEY. 








The fine waste coal is pumped up with suction pumps and passed over screens which allow the water and sand 
to pass through while the coal is raked into a waiting barge. 





Unloading “River Coal” before mechanical unloaders came into vogue. 
Mining “River Coal” in Susquehanna River at Harrisburg. 


SURVEYS AND PUBLICATIONS. 17 


Pa cieaknen caaina * spre Bn eee ae 








Pennsylvania leads in limestone production 
intensive study of the amount and character of 
the limestone resources in parts of the Beaver and 
Allegheny river districts with reference to pos- 
sible quarry sites and the amount and character 
of stone in each, quarrying conditions, etc. Prog- 
ress reports were made on this work every few 
days and transmitted at once to the Highway De- 
partment, followed by a series of detailed reports, 
with manuscript maps, photographs, etc. This 
work was under the immediate supervision of R. 
R. Hice, who with F. B. Peck, studied Beaver, 
Lawrence and Mercer counties. B. L. Miller and 
A. B. Fretz studied Armstrong and Clarion coun- 
ties. C. R. Fettke and E. G. Hill studied north- 
ern Butler County. 

In 1920 I’. B. Peck completed the detailed study 
of the limestones of southern Lawrence County. 
B. L. Miller began the preparation of “An Intro- 
duction to the Limestones of Pennsylvania” 
which report will be similar in the method of 
treatment to the “Introduction to the Coal Fields” 
previously mentioned. 

Ganister: A detailed study of the ganister of 
the State has been undertaken by E. S. Moore, 
assisted by Thomas G. Taylor. 

Sandstone: J. French Robinson made a recon- 
naissance study of a high grade building sand- 
stone found in Greene County. 

Potash; etc.: A visit was made by B. L. Miller 
to the reported, potash deposits of Potter County 
and a number of minor trips have been made by 
the State Geologist, B. L. Miller and other mem- 
bers of the Survey to examine reported deposits 
of value or to study the geology of local areas. 

Granite, etc.: The desire of the Commissioners 
for the Memorial Bridge at Harrisburg, that that 


bridge be built of Pennsylvania stone, led to a re- 
view of available stone for that purpose and the 
collection of blocks of granite and other building 
material. 

M. H. Bissell made an extensive study of the 
building stone of the “Red Beds” areas of the 
New Cumberland quadrangle. 

State Map: During the summer of 1920, 
George N. C. Henchen has been engaged in the 
preparation of data for a new geological map of 
the State. 


Detailed Areal Studies: For many years the 
Federal Geological Survey has carried on detailed 
geological surveys of parts of Pennsylvania, 
party in cooperation with the State and partly on 
its own resources. Such surveys are slow and 
expensive but furnish the bulk of the accurate, 
reliable information to be gotten by this Survey. 
In future field work of this character, the present 
Survey plans to secure the cooperation of the 
U. S. Geological Survey, maintaining, however, 
its own standards of work, and its own methods 
of publication. During the past year it has co- 
operated in the completion of several quadrangles, 
surveyed in the main in earlier years. This in- 
cluded studies in the Hanover, McCalls Ferry, 
Quarrysville, and other southeastern quadrangles 
by A. I. Jonas, representing the State Survey, in 
cooperation with E. F. Bliss and G. W. Stose of 
the Federal Survey. This work has been under 
the general supervision of Dr. F. Bascom. 

E. T. Wherry completed a detailed geologic 
study of the Reading quadrangle. 

A detailed areal and economic study of the “Red 
Beds” of the New Cumberland district by M. H. 
Bissell is in progress. 

A study of the river and bench gravels and the 
recent geological history of the Susquehanna is in 
progress by H. L. Fairchild. 


Publications. 


The new Survey has as yet issued no reports or 
printed matter due to conditions beyond its con- 
trol. The reports now being prepared must 
await the clearing up of the public printing situ- 
ation. A monthly, illustrated bulletin, planned 
to secure quick publication of results, had to be 
abandoned after manuscript had been prepared. 

The printing of a Glass Sand report prepared 
years ago by C. R. Fettke under the direction of 


18 THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 


Mr. Hice and transmitted for printing in 1917 was 
finished and the report distributed during the 
year. 

It is anticipated that this paper and the “Intro- 
duction to the Oil and Gas Fields of Pennsyl- 
vania” will be the only papers printed before the 
next session of the Legislature. 

The list of proposed publications of the Survey, 
though all of uniform size and character, com- 
prises four series of reports. These include: 

A. A Topographic and Geologic Atlas of Penn- 
sylvania in 204 parts, each to show on the scale 
of 1 inch equals 1 mile the topography and de- 
tailed geology of one quadrangle. 

C. County reports, each covering one or more 
counties in non-technical language and fully illus- 
trated by pictures and maps. 

G. Geologic reports. 

M. Mineral resource reports. Aside from gen- 
eral reports these will cover the State in a series 
of volumes including one or more for each impor- 
tant mineral resource. 

For example; the bituminous coal fields are 
planned to be covered in nine handy volumes as 
follows: 1. Introduction, a comprehensive review 
of the fields as a whole, serving as a key to the 
other volumes (MS. nearly ready) ; 2. The Pitts- 
burgh field; 3. The Beaver field; 4. The Lower 
Allegheny field; 5. The Eastern field; 6. The 
Upper Allegheny field; 7. The Northeastern 
field; 8. Coal mining methods and costs; 9. Coal 
conservation and utilization. 

Of these proposed reports the map for the “In- 
troduction to the oil and gas fields of Pennsyl- 
vania”’ is being engraved, and it is hoped to issue 
the report this fall. The “Introduction to the 
coal fields of Pennsylvania” is nearly prepared. 
The “Geology and Mineral Resources of Adams 
County” is well advanced as the first of the series 
of county reports. The “Introduction to the Lime- 
stones of Pennsylvania” is well advanced. A pre- 
liminary report on the oil shale studies is in hand. 


In addition to surveys made during the past 
year, some 6,300 square miles of the State have 
been covered by detailed geologic surveys yet un- 
published. Part of this work was done by the 
State in cooperation with the Federal Survey and 
part by the Federal Survey on its own initiative, 
and expense. As part of the general plan of co- 
operation with the Federal Survey, it is antici- 


pated that a plan will be worked out by which 
all of this data will be available in some form for 
publication by the State. Some 675 square miles 
of this area, which was surveyed by the State 
Geologist in person, is now being made ready in 
preliminary form for publication as the first three 
units of the Topographic and Geologic Atlas of 
Pennsylvania. 

The State Geologist has published a number of 
articles in technical journals during the year, in- 
cluding two in Coal Age; one in the Electrical 
World; one in the proceedings of the American 
Ceramic Society; one in the proceedings of the 
American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical 
Engineers. One paper by him previously pre- 
pared was published this year by the U. S. Geol- 
ogical Survey. 


Plans and Methods. 


Looking to the future the Survey aimg to ren- 
der Service in the sense of seeking to learn the 
needs and desires of the citizens of the State and — 
then to meet those needs. This means more de- 
tailed surveys than have been made in the past. 
For it has been the general experience that when 
definite information was desired, such as that re- 
garding road material in the fall of 1919, the old 
reports were found to be too general in character 
and new special surveys were necessary. It is 
believed that a little more time and expense on the 
original surveys will save the larger expense of 
later special surveys. 


To determine the needs of people a careful 
analysis is being made of the questions asked the 
survey either by correspondence or in person. In 
addition attention is being given to those larger 
problems rising above the horizon, such as the 
location of “super power” stations, the recovery 
of residual oil in old pools, the possibility of ex- 
tending the use of natural gas through the devel- 
opment of possible very deep reserves, the bet- 
ter utilization of our reducing coal supplies by 
preliminary low temperature distillation of the 
raw coal, electrification of railroads, etc., and in 
general, the future relations of the mineral re- 
sources of the State to the State’s continued prog- 
ress and growth in the large as well as in detail. 
In these matters the Survey will seek to lead 
through its accumulation of information. 


SOME LINES OF SERVICE. 


To make its service of the largest value the 
Survey plans to make its reports as attractive and 
understandable as possible through the use of 
non-technical language and the liberal use of 
maps, charts and pictures, and to publish reports 
as soon after the field studies are made as careful 
office preparation and printing conditions will al- 
low. The non-technical language will not apply 
to strictly technical papers intended as contribu- 
tions to the professional geologist or engineer. 


In addition to its published reports the Survey 
looks forward to becoming a storehouse of valu- 
able detailed information through the gathering of 
records of all kinds relating to the mineral re- 
sources of the State, where any citizen of the State 
or others interested in the State may find any 
known facts regarding the State’s geology and 
mineral resources. 


Lest some may think that the economic end of 
the work is to be developed to the exclusion of 
the scientific and educational sides it may be said 
that the proposed list of studies and publications 
include a comprehensive series, from detailed 
studies in the mechanics of mountain building, 
‘or which no country offers more attractive ma- 


19 


terial than Pennsylvania, to travelers guide’s to 
the geology and resources along the great high- 
ways of the ‘State or articles and text books for 
the pupils in the schools. Indeed, given the sup- 
port by the Legislature that is anticipated, the 
Pennsylvania Survey should become a “classic 
second to none in the quality of its service. 

In conclusion, the State Geologist wishes first 
to testify to the splendid service rendered by all 
Notwithstanding the 
longer hours obtaining in this Bureau, the work 


members of the Survey. 


has always exceeded our ability to do all that was 
needed, and has demanded and received not only 
undivided attention during office hours, but a 
large amount of overtime work given by members 
of the Survey on their own initiative. Indeed, 
probably a majority of nights have found one or 
more members of the Survey at their desks. 

In the second place, he wishes to express his 
very great appreciation of the hearty cooperation 
given this Bureau and himself by Secretary 
Woodward and all other members of the Depart- 
ment, and to pledge to the Secretary his coopera- 
tion in helping carry out the Secretary’s program 
to make the Department of Internal Affairs truly 
a “Department of Service.” 





~ 


The Pennsylvania Survey hopes to make known to 


the world both Pennsylvania’s scenery and highways 


and to acquaint those using the highways with facts of popular, scientific, and economic interest along their 


way. 


20 THE STORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SURVEY. 





When properly interpreted every feature of a Pennsylvania landscape has its meaning. Here the flat top of 
the mountains tells of the long ages when Pennsylvania stood but little above sea level and was eroded down 
to an almost featureless plain. (The “Kittatinny peneplain.”) The river gorge tells of a momentous uplift, and 
of the river cutting its channel down through the unlifted plain. The broad flat in the middle tells of another 
long quiet period during which much of Pennsylvania was again reduced to a plain but upon a lower level. 
(The “Harrisburg peneplain.”) ‘The hidden present channel tells of a still later uplift followed by the renewed 
cutting of the river. These are major features. Each minor feature reveals some episode of the State’s history. 
One phase of the Survey’s work will be, in the language of the law, “Elucidating the geology and topography of 
the State.” 















SNe ee ee 


HANAN 





